EOS R6 Mark ll Why don't I see a bunch of green AF squares anymore?

[justadude]

Hey guys, it's dumb question time, and I feel like an idiot for even having to ask this.  I've had my R6 Mk ll for about two months now.  Yesterday something changed on the focus, and even looking at the manual starting on page 456, and trying various settings, I'm still lost.

I should mention that I've been using Canon DSLR and/or Mirrorless systems/menus for 15 years on a handful of different models, and up until now, I've known the menus well.  Since I do a lot of shooting in dark sky areas, I'm good at changing settings in the dark without needing light for buttons or menus.  So bottom line, even in daylight I don't often need to look when changing settings - which this time was not very smart since I am not yet totally familiar with a few new things on the R6 Mk ll... one of them being advances in the amount of focus settings compared to my RP.

So what I HAD set up for focus originally (and I don't even know what it's called, which is why I probably cannot find the reference in the manual) is an auto focus mode where looking through the viewfinder I could see hundreds of small green squares focusing on various subjects.  I've tried the AF Operation on all three settings (One Shot, AI Focus, and Servo) no luck.  I must have changed something under menu item AF Area (again, I kept playing around with options) or in the Whole Area Tracking Servo (and I tried both options in conjunction with various other settings) no luck.

So the question this idiot is asking is "What do I need to set everything to in order for all of the focusing green squares to come back?" (hides head in shame - lol)

Thanks!

[Waddizzle · Accepted solution]

Try this.  My shooting mode is currently M.

[justadude]

My shooting mode is M as well (well, 95% of the time).  

That did the trick!  That must have been a combination of the three settings that I missed.  Thank you!

[Waddizzle]

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@justadude wrote:

My shooting mode is M as well (well, 95% of the time).  

That did the trick!  That must have been a combination of the three settings that I missed.  Thank you!

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You’re welcome!

The highlighted setting is the one that really does the trick.  I think of this combination of settings as “DSLR Mode”.  I like to use this with my Sigma 150-600mm and 35mm DSLR lenses.

All AF points are enabled.  Most users may use the 2nd setting to reduce the number of active AF points.  This is the AF Point selection button that looks like a checkerboard on the rear panel.  Most people seem to like just 1-pt AF or 1-pt AF with 4/8 Surround Assist AF points.  

[FloridaDrafter]

On my R5, I use that mode to shoot BIF and other flying objects, like dragonflies. On the R5, it's actually included in the focus points list "AF Method" and is called Face+Tracking. They took that out of the R6 II AF point selection group, renamed it to "Whole Area Tracking", gave it it's own menu toggle, and added it as an option in the form of a toggle in the Q menu AF point selection group. I have AF Method bound to the control ring of my lens on the R5 so I can flip to the exact set of points I need at the time.

Now, with the R6 II, you can select whole area tracking with any FP group or area you choose to select by using the INFO toggle in the lower left of the FP selection screen when using the Q button. I like both systems, but prefer the way it's set up on the R5 better, even though it's limited to that one setting. They will probably make the R5 II like it is on the R6 II when it's released.

Newton

 

[Waddizzle]

If I am following you correctly, I would disable “Face + iTR” in my DSLRs for action and wildlife photography.  I believe enalbling the “People” settings would be the closest equivalent to simple face detection and tracking, or “Face + iTR” in the advanced DSLRs.

Since this is a configuration that I do not normally use, I cannot really say if my above assumption is accurate or not.

[justadude]

I keep the Subject To Detect set to None since all I've been shooting since I got the camera a couple months ago is landscape, and downtown city scenes (architecture and night lights).  However, I am looking forward to setting this to People for an upcoming marathon I'm hired to shoot.  From what I hear, the accuracy on this is outstanding.  

[FloridaDrafter]

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@Waddizzle wrote:

If I am following you correctly, I would disable “Face + iTR” in my DSLRs for action and wildlife photography.  I believe enalbling the “People” settings would be the closest equivalent to simple face detection and tracking, or “Face + iTR” in the advanced DSLRs.

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No, for BIF, if I set Face+Tr in my R5's FP selection group and select "Animal" as the subject, it has the same effect as Whole Area in the R6 II and picks up my birds faces, no matter where they are on the sensor. If at a great distance, it will just put a box around the entire bird. I only use it for BIF and it basically allows for slop that I get from my bad initial aim 🙂

This is the way AF method selection looks in the R5. I have this bound to my lens control ring with some of the selections disabled.

This is a FF that shows how Face+Tr actually picked up an insect face (dragonfly) from about 60 feet.

 

Cropped.

Newton 

[justadude]

The 1-pt with 4/8 surround I personally find annoying.  It seems like I constantly have to adjust the location.  Since I disable the touch screen, it's cumbersome to use. I know a lot of people like it, but I'm not sure why.  

To each their own, right? I really like the current setting with the R6m2 - it's great for any type of landscape work, or nighttime photography, which are my main go-to things to shoot.